Coronavirus reaches Cambodia

Health Minister Mam Bunheng made an announcement on Monday during a press conference that Cambodia has confirmed its first case of Coronavirus in Cambodia.

The infection was confirmed in a Chinese poker player named by the ministry as Jia Jianhua. He had travelled from Wuhan, China, to Sihanoukville on January 23 together with three other family members. The infected man reportedly stayed together with his family at the Independence Hotel and went to play poker at Queenco Casino & Hotel when he started having a fever. The infected man has been placed in quarantine in Sihanoukville and Cambodian authorities are working together with the Chinese embassy.

Border officials are reportedly distributing masks at the border. Panic among Cambodian citizens is spreading rapidly and facial masks mainly protecting wearers against dust have reportedly run out. The more effective have run out of stock on e-commerce websites such as Amazon.

Locals in Cambodia have reported a decrease in internet speed since the news of the infected man were made public.

Northbridge international school has announced that they are closed today and tomorrow to monitor the situation. Cambodia International School is reported to take extra safety measures measuring the temperature of children and adults when school resumes after the Chinese New Year holiday.